The Dead in School
by Wrath of Athena
Summary: Death knocks at your door when you least expect it. Dying means an end of a life, but this isn’t always the case…especially when Hotaru Imai came back to the academy a year after that tragic day. No love stories here. Hotaru’s POV. Oneshot.


_Death knocks at your door when you least expect it. Dying means an end of a life, but this isn't always the case…especially when Hotaru Imai came back to the academy a year after that tragic day. No love stories here. Hotaru's POV. One-shot._

**Dislaimer: Gakuen Alice is not mine. I hope Tachibana-sama forgives me for what I'm about to do with her characters. Please don't sue me.**

**Author's Notes: **Dark, dark, and dark. Please take the tragedy genre seriously. I know many fans won't like this fic so I hope you guys will be gentle in your reviews. I hope this doesn't bore you. This just came out of nowhere…I'm feeling really frustrated lately you see---I just had to let it out. Fiction writing is really difficult, how do those experts do it? (sighs)

This is my first attempt to write in the Supernatural Genre. Please read on if you're really curious. Love you lots! Errr…umm…enjoy? (laughs nervously)

This fic is dedicated to the GA forumers and the black lady following me around the house, and if she by any chance, tried to possess me….I won't mind. LOL

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**The Dead in School**

Genre: Supernatural / Tragedy

**Written By: WizdomGoddess**

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I finally came back to Alice Academy after a year-long confinement in the hospital.

Hotaru Imai, that's what they used to call me.

I was the resident class genius, the rational, one of the higher-ups of my class.

But things are different now.

A changed person, that's what I am.

It's a universal law of nature that everything changes---even my personality.

Change…

I hate changes.

There were so many things I regret in the past, but it's too late now.

There is no turning back.

I am no longer the same Hotaru everybody knew.

It was over a year ago when my life drastically changed---it was because of that one fateful day.

Do you want to know what happened?

Hah, forget it.

I don't want to waste your time listening to my pathetic story. Besides, it's all a blur.

What I need to do now is to get this short visit over with.

I looked around the halls---nothing has changed much in the academy.

The hallway was empty. I stepped into my classroom. Nobody was there.

Where were they?

I needed to find them before my time runs out.

I glanced at my watch. It was supposed to be the end of their lunch break.

How odd…

Where were they?

I grew impatient. My time is running out. I could practically hear the distant voices calling for me.

"Hotaru! You've come back!"

I jumped in fright. Voices _were_ calling me!

Gathering myself, I turned around and saw my best friend smiling brightly at me.

I stared at her and smiled. For the first time since the tragedy, I felt unexplainable happiness take over my body.

Mikan Sakura, oh how much I missed her!

"Mikan…" I whispered softly. That was probably all I managed to say, since she cut me off with her annoying squeals.

Tears of joy formed at the rim of her eyes. "Hotaaaaaaru!"

I covered my ears. "Idiot! Don't scream in my ear. I know what you just said," I replied.

She was still the boisterous Mikan I knew and loved.

My best friend gave me a hug. "Oh Hotaru! I'm so glad you're here again! Are you feeling better?" she asked, concerned.

"Yes, but I only came here for a visit."

She looked disappointed. "What! You're leaving again?"

I nodded.

Her lower lip trembled.

I shook my head. "Stop giving me that idiotic face," I told her, reaching out my hands and brushing away the tears from her eyes with the tips of my fingers. She shivered. "Are you cold?"

"Only a bit…" she answered.

I see…

So she hasn't noticed it yet.

"Hotaru?" a male voice echoed in my ear.

It was then that I moved my attention to a blonde-haired boy at her left. Ah, I remember him---Ruka Nogi.

He had that solemn expression, just like how he looked like a year ago.

I returned his gaze. Still good-looking too, I had to admit---but there is no way I'll say that in front of him.

I smirked. "Ruka."

He grinned. "You're back."

I pursed my lips. "The hospital was getting too stuffy for my taste," I replied.

He laughed and approached us.

"Well, we've been pretty lonely without you around," he said, staring at me with his royal blue eyes.

He rotated his head towards the girl in my arms. "Especially Mikan," he added.

"I can see that."

I heard a clapping noise.

I instantly veered my eyesight towards the doorway. There stood Yuu Tobita, the class president and my favorite study partner.

"Oh Hotaru! We've got a surprise for you!" he chirped. He leaned back against the wooden frame of the door.

To my astonishment, the rest of my classmates filed in the room and gathered around me. A shower of confetti filled the air; everyone wore either a hat on the head or held a trumpet over the mouth.

A long banner with the words "WELCOME BACK HOTARU!" rolled down over the blackboard.

Mikan latched on to my right arm and winked at me, with that goofy smile on her face.

"We love you Hotaru!" everybody cheered.

I felt a hard lump develop in my throat. Seeing all of them welcome me back so warmly…

…this isn't right. They're not even aware of what happened a year ago.

Should I tell them?

"Oi."

My back stiffened. I recognize that hoarse voice anywhere.

Mikan's face lit up, so did Ruka's; but I felt a different aura altogether.

All three of us turned around.

Mikan released my arm, dashed, and tugged on the sleeve of the frowning boy.

"Natsume! Natsume! I told you she's alive!" she squealed.

As usual, he had a hand in his pocket---that Natsume Hyuuga.

There was only one thing that bothered me.

He was glaring at me.

Why would he glare at me?

Then, I realized it.

My heart skipped a beat: He knew. He wasn't stupid.

He knew what I was.

He knew my dark secret.

He knew I have changed.

He knew what happened that tragic day.

I swallowed, my throat felt raspy all of a sudden.

My time is running out.

This one last time, I had to tell them.

One-Two-Three. Now!

"I'm sorry everyone…I'm really sorry!" I blurted out. My stomach did all kinds of acrobatics inside me; my heart felt unusually heavy.

The room grew quiet, the celebration stopped.

Everybody just stared at me blankly, even Mikan.

I glanced at my watch again.

My time has run out.

I walked towards the door, halted, and gripped the wooden frame on my right. I had my back facing them.

Nobody stopped me.

Nobody spoke a word.

The place was as silent as a graveyard.

It was the kind of tranquility that was satiated with death.

"I have to go now. They're waiting for me." I said softly and without another word, I ran off.

I choked. Hot, salty tears streamed down my face and glazed my lips.

It fell freely….

Freely…

There is no turning back.

There is no looking back.

What's done is done.

I have to live with that.

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I stepped out of the gates of the academy, panting heavily.

Two large men in military uniforms approached me, rifles in hand. They stopped and stood on either side of me.

There was a white heap with four wheels waiting across the street, a prominent large red cross vandalized its nose.

With one last glance at the crumbling buildings inside my former school, I let the soldiers detain me.

I was pushed roughly inside the vehicle, my hands cuffed.

I stared at the handcuffs; I knew they were alice-proofed.

Two men in white coats sat at the front. The engines roared and everything trembled.

I peeked at the small window at the back of the vehicle.

This is my prison, this is my home.

The vehicle drove away. I watched the school shrink from where I sat.

I heard the two engage in a conversation. I didn't budge and continued looking out the window.

But I listened carefully.

"It's really a shame," one of them grunted. "Don't you think so?"

"What are you talking about? This better be good, I don't usually listen while driving."

"It's about that Alice school funded by the government."

The man on the wheel sounded curious. "You mean the one we went to a while ago?"

"Yeah."

"What happened there anyway?"

"It was over a year ago. Some genius left a fast-spreading virus within the school grounds."

There was a pause.

"Oh," the man on the wheels replied.

"Everybody caught one. High fevers, vomiting blood, heart attacks, yet no cure available. Not even the alice-healers survived. Everyone in that school died," the other continued.

The man driving laughed. "I guess even those Alice users are human beings too, huh? They're not that invincible."

"Not everybody."

There was another pause. The vehicle stopped for a while, then moved again. From a window, I saw a black cat cross the street like it had been doing it for years. I continued to listen to the two men in white coats.

"What do you mean?" the driver asked.

"That kid behind us," the other replied.

"What about her?"

"She's the one responsible for that massive slaughter."

"What? That little girl?" the driver sounded astonished.

The other explained. "I heard from the mayor she did it on purpose."

"No way!"

"She's insane I tell you." the other man warned.

I frowned---stupid fools.

They didn't know anything of what happened that tragic day.

I developed the virus as a confidential order from the government.

They didn't care about the dangers that came with it.

They just wanted it done at a limited time. Deadlines they called it.

Everybody knew it was a risk, but they insisted.

They threatened to withdraw the funding for the school.

I had no choice.

The inevitable happened, it was all an accident.

It was too powerful. The virus seeped through its isolation units.

It spread, it got everybody—even me.

I was the only one who survived---and now they blamed it all on me…those stupid politicians.

Lies!

All lies!

I'm tired of all these lies!

Why didn't I just die with the rest of them?

The tears fell on my cheeks again. Freely…so freely…

For the first time in over a year, I managed to sob. I vented and let out the burden inside me.

I buried my face in my palms and cried.

Who am I kidding? I killed everybody. I am partly the cause of their deaths.

I killed my best friends.

I killed the ones I loved.

I'm a killer now!

I cried harder. Why did things turn out this way? I'm such an idiot!

It's been over a year.

I went back to that dreadful academy.

I needed to apologize before I put my plan into action.

I'm glad I did.

I saw everyone again, though they were only apparitions—ghosts as most people call them.

They were illusions of the past that refused to go away.

They weren't aware they were already dead---except that Natsume. He wasn't stupid.

He knew.

I coughed, remembering the cold air around my best friend when she hugged me.

Not a trace of warmth.

Mikan didn't even notice that her arms partially went through me.

I'm sorry, Mikan….

I'm sorry everyone…

"Will you shut up and stop crying?" the driver yelled from the front of the vehicle. Both laughed rudely.

I glared at the back of their heads.

I fished out my latest, and probably last, invention from my pocket.

They really didn't think they could trust someone like me, did they?

They were stupid not to put on these alice-proof cuffs while I was inside.

I managed to create a little surprise for this damn city while I was inside the abandoned academy.

I pulled it out: the detonator.

It will trigger the atomic bomb, small as a pea, attached to one of my earrings.

I looked out the window and enjoyed the view.

In a few minutes, this will all be gone.

I will have my revenge.

Revenge…

Sweet revenge---

---it's a dish best eaten cold.

I breathed and started to count.

One: I saw an old lady walk along the sidewalk, looking forlorn.

Two: I saw a couple of children chase each other in front of a cake shop.

Three: We passed by the playground where Mikan and I used to play in our childhood days.

I smiled. She will probably disapprove of what I'm about to do…

But things are different now.

I closed my eyes.

There is no turning back now.

I pressed on the red button.

An explosion….

…the best sound I've heard in over a year.

I'm free…so free.

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**The End.**

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**End Notes: **Literally. (sweatdrop) Ehehehe….hope you liked this, although it's a bit disturbing. If you spot errors, tell me! I appreciate it! I'll revise it immediately. I'm still getting used to writing dark fics, so hope you bear with me. Love you lots! (runs away before somebody throws an apple at her)


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